Thought for Wednesday, 11th Week in Ordinary Time

Jesus said to his disciples:
“Take care not to perform righteous deeds
in order that people may see them;
otherwise, you will have no recompense from your heavenly Father.
When you give alms,
do not blow a trumpet before you,
as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets
to win the praise of others.
Amen, I say to you,
they have received their reward.
But when you give alms,
do not let your left hand know what your right is doing,
so that your almsgiving may be secret.
And your Father who sees in secret will repay you.

“When you pray,
do not be like the hypocrites,
who love to stand and pray in the synagogues and on street corners
so that others may see them.
Amen, I say to you,
they have received their reward.
But when you pray, go to your inner room,
close the door, and pray to your Father in secret.
And your Father who sees in secret will repay you.

“When you fast,
do not look gloomy like the hypocrites.
They neglect their appearance,
so that they may appear to others to be fasting.
Amen, I say to you, they have received their reward.
But when you fast,
anoint your head and wash your face,
so that you may not appear to be fasting,
except to your Father who is hidden.
And your Father who sees what is hidden will repay you.”

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I am writing from Creighton University in Omaha, NE where I am teaching a class to seminarians on the Five Identities of the Diocesan Priest (Beloved Son, Chaste Spouse, Spiritual Father, Spiritual Physician, Head & Shepherd). I hope to attend the game tonight between Florida and Miami.

Today we hear the same Gospel reading that is read on Ash Wednesday. And although we are in the middle of June and lent seems to be a distant past, it is still good to keep our spiritual lives focused. Summer can be a time of vacation and relaxation, but hopefully it is not a time of vacation from God.

Prayer is essential in our spiritual life. It is the communication that develops the deep relationship that we have with our Lord. It is not meant to be done so that others see us pray, but Jesus calls us to pray in private. This does not mean that we should not go to Church – community worship is important. Our motivation is key – am I doing it to be seen or to deepen my relationship with Jesus? And if you don’t know how to pray, just have a conversation with God just like you would with your best friend. Tell him your joys, sorrows, fears, anxieties, etc. And then take time to listen. You may not hear His voice, but allow Him to transform your heart. A definition for prayer – it is a loving conversation with God.

Fasting is also to be done in the spirit of sacrifice and discipline. Why is this important? If we can discipline our appetites surrounding food, it carries over into other areas of our lives. Jesus fasted in the desert so that He would be able to resist the temptations of the devil. Am I a person that is able to resist temptation, or do I fall in many areas of my life? Fasting is a way to train ourselves in discipline. It is also a way to sacrifice so that I can keep my focus on the spiritual life. Jesus tells us that if we are faithful in small things, we will be faithful in larger things. He will bless us so that we can share these blessings with others. But if we are not faithful in the small things, He will take away what we have and give it to someone that is faithful. Don’t wait for Lent to roll around again before you plan on fasting again. Learn to discipline your passions year round.

Almsgiving is also to be done in private, says Jesus. May we be generous with our resources with those who are less fortunate than we are. Every gift that God gives us is meant to be shared. Sure we have to save for our retirement and a rainy day. However, the more we can take the focus off of ourselves and focus on serving our fellow human being, the more we will be thankful for all that the Lord has given us.